Metzger, Scott A. “Maximizing the Educational Power of History Movies in the Classroom.” (2010)

Cinematic feature films are a big part of youth popular culture. When blockbuster movies are about historical topics, it is reasonable for teachers to be drawn to using them in the classroom to motivate students’ interest. This article overviews research on film in the history classroom and describes three learning functions that history movies can have: fact and fiction; constructing the past and the people in it; and reacting to the past.